Key developments on Might 19:

• After name with Trump, Putin nonetheless refuses full ceasefire, once more cites Russia's 'root causes' of warfare in Ukraine
• Zelensky dismisses Putin's demand to withdraw troops from 4 Ukrainian areas
• Commander of Ukraine's 59th Brigade changed, media stories
• Ukrainian drones destroy Russian radar, provide depots on Black Sea fuel platforms, SBU says

Russia continues to refuse to comply with a full ceasefire in Ukraine, with President Vladimir Putin as a substitute ready to barter a "memorandum concerning a possible future peace treaty," he mentioned following a two-hour name with U.S. President Donald Trump on Might 19.

Putin mentioned Trump had "expressed his place concerning the cessation of hostilities, a ceasefire," however the Russian president insisted the "only paths in the direction of peace" had been nonetheless to be decided.

A supply within the President's Workplace advised the Kyiv Impartial on Might 19 that Ukraine continues to be pushing for a full, unconditional ceasefire in talks this week with the U.S. president — the important thing demand pushed by Trump and accepted by Ukraine again in March.

"Agreed with the president of the U.S. that Russia will suggest and is able to work with the Ukrainian aspect on a memorandum on a attainable future peace treaty," Putin advised reporters after the decision.

"It would outline numerous positions, for instance, the rules of settlement, the timing of a attainable peace settlement, and so forth, together with a attainable ceasefire for a sure time period if the related agreements are reached."

Russia's place within the negotiations stays unchanged and requires "eliminating the basis causes" of the warfare, Putin added.

Following the decision, the U.S. president mentioned on Truth Social that Russia and Ukraine will "instantly begin" negotiations towards a ceasefire and an finish to the warfare.

"The situations for that shall be negotiated between the 2 events, as it will probably solely be, as a result of they know particulars of a negotiation that no one else would concentrate on," Trumpwrote.

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Trump additionally claimed that Russia is concerned about participating in large-scale commerce with the United States as soon as the warfare ends.

"There’s a large alternative for Russia to create huge quantities of jobs and wealth. Its potential is limitless. Likewise, Ukraine could be a nice beneficiary on commerce, within the technique of rebuilding its nation," he mentioned.

The U.S. president mentioned he had knowledgeable President Volodymyr Zelensky in regards to the name with Vladimir Putin, in addition to a number of European leaders.

A supply within the President's Workplace advised the Kyiv Impartial that Trump and Zelensky spoke twice on the day — as soon as earlier than the scheduled name with Putin and once more after it.

The second dialog lasted for over an hour and included Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa.

Putin's international coverage aide, Yuri Ushakov, advised Russian journalists that the presidents spoke for 2 hours and 5 minutes, with no point out of a ceasefire deadline.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the telephone name between the 2 presidents as "productive" and highlighted Trump's "impartial" stance on the warfare.

Talking to reporters, Peskov mentioned, "Trump's place is impartial and he does cope with settlement points, whereas the place of European politicians is overtly pro-Ukrainian."

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Zelensky dismisses Putin's demand to withdraw troops from 4 Ukrainian areas

Ukraine is not going to withdraw troops from the territories it controls, President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Might 19, rejecting Russian calls for put ahead by the nation's delegation in Istanbul.

"It's our land, we received't withdraw our troops from our territory," Zelensky mentioned, responding to a query by the Kyiv Impartial. "This can be a constitutional responsibility of mine, of our navy … No ultimatums, nobody will give up their lands, their folks, their properties."

Zelensky's assertion follows inconclusivenegotiations in Istanbul on Might 16, the place Moscow despatched a delegation of low-level officers andreiterated sweeping territorial calls for, together with Kyiv's acceptance of the lack of Crimea and 4 jap areas.

A supply within the Ukrainian President's Workplace briefed on the talks advised the Kyiv Impartial on Might 16 that Moscow's delegation insisted that Ukraine retreat from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, regardless of Russia not controlling any of them of their entirety.

"It implies that they (Russia) don't need peace," Zelensky mentioned. "In the event that they demand what they know we received't comply with. As a result of they clearly perceive that Ukraine is not going to do it," he added.

Russia illegally declared the annexation of the 4 oblasts following sham referenda in late 2022, incorporating them into its structure — a transfer that holds no weight internationally.

Moscow continues to refuse to comply with a full ceasefire. Throughout a name with Trump, Putin mentioned he’s prepared to negotiate a "memorandum concerning a possible future peace treaty."

Russia's maximalist place within the negotiations stays unchanged and calls for "eliminating the basis causes" of the warfare, the Russian president added.

Trump's strategy to negotiations frustrates European allies, a lot of whom sought his help for a joint U.S.–EU ultimatum demanding an unconditional ceasefire beginning Might 12 and harder sanctions on Moscow.

Regardless of Russia's refusal, no new U.S. sanctions have been imposed thus far.

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Commander of Ukraine's 59th Brigade changed, media stories

Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Shevchuk was dismissed because the commander of the 59th Brigade of the Unmanned Methods Forces and changed by Colonel Oleksandr Sak, Ukrainska Pravda reported on Might 18, citing its sources within the brigade.

The 59th Brigade, deployed within the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, underwent the emergency management change between Might 15 and 16 on the order of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, one navy supply advised the news outlet.

The Kyiv Impartial couldn’t confirm the claims.

The brigade's new reported commander, Sak, beforehand led the 53rd Mechanized Brigade combating within the Kreminna space.

The explanations behind the transfer haven’t been disclosed, although Ukrainska Pravda's sources urged it might be linked to the worsening scenario within the Pokrovsk sector.

The mining city has been the epicenter of among the heaviest battles in Donetsk Oblast as Russian forces have been making an attempt to seize the strategically vital settlement for months.

Syrskyi claimed earlier in Might that Ukraine has managed to stabilize the scenario within the sector and seize the initiative in some areas.

The 59th Brigade, beforehand named the 59th Motorized Rifle Brigade, got here beneath Syrskyi's scrutiny in July 2024 after Azovstal defender and medic Kateryna Polishchuk, identified beneath the nickname Ptashka ("chook"), referred to as for an investigation into the unit over Shevchuk's alleged misconduct.

The unit was reorganized into an assault brigade beneath the Unmanned Methods Forces in January 2025, however retained its commander on the time.

‘It’s our land’ — Zelensky responds to Putin’s call with TrumpA source in the President’s Office told the Kyiv Independent that Trump and Zelensky spoke twice on May 19 — once before the scheduled call with Putin and again after it.The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

Ukrainian drones destroy Russian radar, provide depots on Black Sea fuel platforms, SBU says

The Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU) has destroyed a Russian radar system and warehouse amenities situated on fuel manufacturing platforms within the Black Sea utilizing a coordinated drone strike, the company mentioned on Might 19.

In response to the SBU, the operation was carried out by the thirteenth Foremost Directorate of its Army Counter-Intelligence Division. The mission concerned a mix of aerial and naval drones concentrating on Russian navy infrastructure positioned on Ukrainian offshore drilling rigs.

An aerial drone allegedly first struck one of many platforms, adopted by a naval drone that delivered a secondary hit. The attack destroyed a Russian "Neva" radar system used for monitoring aerial and floor exercise, in addition to provide storage and dwelling quarters on the platform, the SBU reported.

"In a single particular operation, our specialists used two sorts of drones that proved extremely efficient when working in tandem," the company said.

The SBU famous that the assault is a part of an ongoing effort to clear the Black Sea of Russian navy presence and tools. Earlier SBU naval drone operations have reportedly focused the Crimean Bridge and 11 Russian warships.

The Kyiv Impartial couldn’t confirm the claims.

The SBU historically makes use of its Sea Child drones for operations within the Black Sea, whereas navy intelligence (HUR) deploys the Magura naval drones.
In early Might, Ukraine shot down two Russian Su-30 fighter jets utilizing air-to-air missiles fired from Magura-7 naval drones and two Russian Mi-8 helicopters in December 2024.

The Magura drones also sank the Russian patrol ship Sergey Kotov on March 5, 2024, and the touchdown ship Caesar Kunikov on Feb. 14, 2024.

As of 2024, Ukraine was reportedly capable of destroy or disable one-third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in a drone and missile marketing campaign, regardless of Moscow's vital benefit in sheer naval energy.

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